Attracted
by FeelingCrossToday
Summary: 6 years have passed since the rebellion, and Gale has moved on. Or he had, until he heard Peeta's voice. Happy Birthday/Christmas LylaOfTheStorm.
1. Chapter 1

**Let's pretend that this was actually meant to be a Christmas present and not a birthday present due in August. But this is for LylaOfTheStorm; hope you like it. Also would anyone like to beta please and I will love you 5evr and 5evr xox**

* * *

"No, I've got a house in district 12, I'm staying at the 75."

Gale's head snapped up.

"No, it's fine, just direct me to _industry and commerce_please."

"I'll do it."

"Gale?!"

"Mr. Hawthorne," the attendant began through pursed lips, "I am perfectly capable of-"

"I've been called. I'm sure you could be getting on with something more useful, Midroat."

The attendant plastered on a smile and gave a nod, which Gale returned. Gale then watched him stalk off before turning to his newly acquired charge.

"It's a very efficient system," Peeta said. "I took one step through the door and was immediately swept away to the visitors desk and given...well...one of these." Peeta held up his wrist, now sporting a wristband moulded perfectly to him and made out of what appeared to be glass.

"I believe the term you're looking for is 'rist'," Gale replied, smiling slightly.

"I believe the term _you're_looking for is 'rist-one-four' ," Peeta corrected, studying the lettering etched along the bottom edge.

Gale raised an eyebrow. "Which one of us works here?"

Peeta laughed. "It's funny, really. So far, this seems like an exact copy of district 13, but with these 'rists' instead of things being implanted into your arm."

There it was again. The adrenaline rush that Gale had felt when he'd first heard Peeta's voice. The same adrenaline rush that had made him stop what he was doing and talk to someone he hadn't seen for six years. Gale wasn't one for 'catching up' but there was something edgy about Peeta, something dangerous, something Gale liked.

"Oh, and the carpet," Peeta added.

"You call this a carpet?" Gale prodded the floor with a toe as the pair waited for the elevator.

"It's the only thing I can see not made of glass, so I've got to honour it somehow."

"Floor 3," Gale commanded, and the elevator glided upwards.

"So, how long have you been working here?"

"District 2 was where I started, but that was pretty instrumental in building a new country, so I've just been moving up through the system. _Industry and Commerce._"

They had reached Peeta's desired section of the government building.

"Just scan your rist in there-" (Gale indicated a nook in the wall) "-and you'll be granted entry."

"Thanks, Gale. Nice seeing you." Peeta smiled.

"Yeah."

And then that snippet of past walked through the sliding doors and Gale's life was back to monotony.

* * *

"What were you doing on floor three?"

"How did you know I was on floor three?"

"Gale. My job is to watch the lifts. You think I would be able to recognise my boyfriend when I see him."

"Oh yeah."

"Gale, stop smirking at the fact you're a prick who doesn't know what their girlfriend's job is and tell me why you were on floor three," Scarlett said, sticking her hand into her allotted pigeon hole where her rist melted.

Gale smirked some more as he waited for her to pick up her bag.

"Gale Hawthorne!"

"I was taking someone to the_ Industry and Commerce_department, if you must know."

"And why wasn't an attendant doing that for you?"

"Because he was an acquaintance."

"I'd never seen him before."

"Yes you had."

Gale linked his fingers with Scarlett's and started swinging their hands back and forth as they made their way to the train station.

"Who is he then?"

"Peeta Mellark. One of the star-crossed lovers in the 74th Hunger Games."

"The hot one?"

Gale stopped holding her hand.


	2. Chapter 2

The second time Gale bumped into Peeta Mellark, it was a total accident. One hundred percent a coincidence. Perhaps even a hundred and ten percent. But there was no disputing the fact that Gale had planned it- wait, hadn't planned it, or had accidentally planned it? Or hadn't accidentally, coincidentally, actually and factually, possibly, impossibly, unipossibly-

Gale leant against his counter-top, head in hands. The same counter-top on which he had shagged Scarlett the night before. That had been fun. And she'd left her scarf on the arm of that chair which meant she'd be back this evening and that would give him an excuse to do it again.

Fun, yes. But it didn't give him the electric shock down his spine that the ruddy boy with the bread did simply by using his voice. It fired him up, made him want to wrest himself out of office life and _do something_, darn it. Peeta Mellark was making him discontented. Peeta Mellark was making him restless. Peeta Mellark was making him hungry.

* * *

"Oh, hello again!"

"Hello." Gale had put the invoices down on Nessery's desk and, seeing its chair vacant, sat down. He had begun to transfer the data onto the system, a measure not strictly necessary when it had been Nessery's job, but required in order not to nip a conversation in the bud. Peeta had been sitting on one of the plush leather sofas that made up the waiting room for visitors, or perhaps intruders, who wished to seek an appointment with a member of the department.

"How long have you been waiting?" Gale had asked.

"Ten minutes? Fifteen?" Peeta had replied. "I have an appointment booked for ten o' clock with...eh...Mr. Genn?"

Gale had nodded absent-mindedly. He would have nodded in a much more focussed way, had he not just misspelt 'fire-arms'. There had been the small matter, as well, of the other fire that had been distracting him: something like the one in his head or heart or ear canal? Peeta had continued:

"I'm thinking about expanding my bakery. You know, open a division up here. Not that I want to that much, I mean, I'd rather just keep it local, but-" Peeta had coughed and scratched the back of his neck. "But Katniss is expecting and we could do with some extra income."

There had been a pause while Gale had tried to make sure the effect Peeta was having on him by talking about Katniss had not spread to his vocal chords.

"Congratulations."

Peeta had looked up and smiled.

"It's no- no real-"

Even Peeta's stumbling attempts to form coherent responses had made Gale feel like he was having a good trip. A really good trip.

"Really, congratulations," Gale had insisted.

"Thank you."

Peeta had diverted back to business after that.

"I need to discuss the legal obligations with somebody before I..."

Peeta had probably finished that sentence but at the same time Nessery had returned and Gale had had to search frantically for a reason to remain within hearing distance of Peeta. He had found none and had been forced to point out the invoices to Nessery and get up.

"Good luck with the bread."

Peeta had given a good natured chuckle.

"Thanks. See you."

"Bye."

* * *

Gale had it. The anger or the excitement or the something that was rattling round his body - that was just a reflex action from a bygone age when he and Peeta had been at blows over Katniss. The need to get up and fight at the sound of Peeta's voice had been drummed into him from when they had been foes. That was it. Nothing more, nothing less. Foes.

There was the doorbell. Scarlett would be wanting her scarf back.


End file.
